This video shows how to set up a non-circulating hydroponic system, a.k.a the Kratky Method. For a transcript of this video please visit my website at https://tikki.co/kratky-basics/
I use rockwool to grow seedlings and then net cups and clay pebbles to plant the seedling into containers filled with water. The water contains a hydroponic solution to help feed the plants the nutrients they need. Two solutions are shown, one that works well for leafy greens, the other for fruiting or flowering plants. You will see the Kratky method demonstrated for three different plants in this video; lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. All of these can be grown successfully using the Kratky method indoors with little effort. This video is meant as an introduction to the Kratky Method, if you would like more detail then check out my other videos on the specifics of each type of plant. Experiment, and most of all have fun and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own vegetables!
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You can find the items I use in this video on Amazon here:
Grow Lights: https://amzn.to/2LfU8zW
Nutrients: Grow Big by Fox Farms: https://amzn.to/2YwJpqe
MasterBlend formula: https://amzn.to/2WfjZNo
Rockwool Cubes: http://amzn.to/2puNhZ6
Clay Pebbles: http://amzn.to/2G0AcOf
Mason Jars (make sure they are wide mouth): http://amzn.to/2GeoN0E
Net Cups 3 inch: https://amzn.to/2SpJlFD
Grow Lights: http://amzn.to/2GfcHEj
Growing Trays: https://amzn.to/2QRSyXn
Is rock wool reusable?
Thank for the clear explaination where do you put the mason jars? Near a window or out side?
Great tutorials!! Please can you do one with strawberries?
Thank you for such a wonderful explanation. Could you please tell us how many days on an average it takes for lettuce to grow to a sapling that could ve transferable? I have transferred my lettuce twice and both the times their roots have rotten and died. Any suggestions what could have gone wrong here?
Thank you. Very useful video. Simple, short, concise and clear. Perfect!
This has failed for me 4 out of 4 times.
Excellent presentation! Thank you for letting us see your methods
Hi. I love your plants documentary.
We can use other planting medium other than net cups, and mason jars, and clay pebbles.
We can modify the self-watering soda bottle planter in using the Kratky method. We can also use plastic noodle cups as "net cups / pot".
Just put lots of holes in the planter / pot; and no soil and no wick, other pebbles,
Can you give some info about the lights and how long a day you give them the artificial light? Thanks for all your great videos
very useful video. thanks
best teacher!
You are awesome!
You are a good teacher
You have clear jars, do you block from light?
Thank you very much for your very informative videos, you introduced me to the Kratky method.
At the moment (since 3 weeks or so) I have a small 7-slot smart hydroponics system in my kitchen (there is not so much light) with an air pump and an LED grow light which works very nicely and among other plants a tomatoe is growing there.
And on the sunny side of my apartment on the window bench I have a small 6-slot hydroponics system (without pump or extra lamp) where I want to try out the Kratky method now.
The Kratky method seems perfect to me since it requires very little effort and no electricity (the smart system in the kitchen tends to annoy a little since the pump makes noises and the LED light is very bright and a little off-putting since the timer tends to shift the day cycle around a bit each day) and I am a lazy person 🙂
So it's basically a plastic bucket with 4 liters of water and nutrient solution and on top a cover with 6 holes and net cups where I have planted the seeds in Rockwool into the cups making sure no light gets into the water to avoid algae growth. The kitchen hydroponics system was so successful that I had to move the cucumber plant to its own pot or its giant leaves would have stolen the light from all other plants in there 🙂
Thanks again and keep up the good work, happy gardening!
Hi Tikki I fond a pretty interesting video here is the titlle.
How to Make Rockwool Grow Cubes: Only 2.5¢ Each!
Ray
Thanks. Now I understand how this Method works
thank you so much for the great video! i learned so much!
I am a single person, eat a salad a day, so how many of the lettuce plants would I need to keep a good daily supply and staggered a week or so apart??
I have a hydroponic tower in my classroom but wanted to learn how this method works. Thank you so much! My 8th graders and my young gardeners will love this. The only question is…distilled water??? Would that be better so that you don't have to test pH?
I like how you explain the importance of not overfilling the water or you will drown the plant. Look at my grobuddy system it uses the float so it always fills to the correct level even allowing for constant top offs so the level never. Changes
Black 5 gallon bucket Kratky. What is the film (?) that forms on top of solution and cause?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
With maintaining 2 inch distance can we completely prevent oxygen deficiency in roots?
It's just a needlessly inferior DWC. I remember your pepper comparison video showing that pretty clearly. Why anyone would choose stagnant water instead of just adding an air stone is beyond me.